Video: Junkyard 5.3 Liter LS Swap Into A ’88-’98 Truck Done Right

We see a lot of LS swap projects nowadays on YouTube, like this video of a 5.3 liter LS swap into a 1994 Chevy truck from user AGearhead4Life. What we usually aren’t able to see however, is the details of the completed swap.

Most of the time, the owner of the vehicle is the one completing the swap. So chances are, if someone’s done it before, it’s a lot easier to follow along during your own swap. That’s the point of this video. AGearhead4Life explains to us what parts he used for the swap and why.

Starting off with a stock 5.3 liter V8 from a 2001 suburban, they added a few stronger OEM parts such as a LS2 camshaft and LS6 valve springs. They also ported the heads themselves.

Getting into the specifics of the swaps, he explains that the stock 5.3 liter exhaust manifolds will clear the frame rails, which is why they were used. The transmission choice is a 480LE which utilizes the stock torque converter, with the rear-end being a 3.73 gear-set.

For cooling components, most of the radiator hoses including the upper, are from the donor 5.3 vehicle. Electric fans were sourced from a F-body car, and the stock ’94 truck shroud has been modified for better appeal.

And while the engine mounts are GM OEM, they did utilize one-inch adapter plates for the engine. There’s a wealth of information to learn from this video, especially if you’re performing a swap like this yourself. We recommend checking out his YouTube page for more information on the swap.